Pneumatic spring suspension for vehicles.



G. A. RHOADS.

PNEUMATIC SPRING SUSPENSION FOR VEHICLES.

- I APPLICATION FILED MAY25, 1909. I

' Patented Apr. 19, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Snow! to 13 i Masses G. A. RHOADS PNEUMATIC SPRING SUSPENSION FOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED MAY'25, 1999.

955,692. Patented Apr. 19, 1910.

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Georg'AJZ/zaads GEORGE A. .lRHOADS, 0F UHRICHSVILLE, OHIO.

PNEUMATIC {SPRING SUSPENSiON FOR VEHICLES.

ceases.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 19, 1910.

Application filed may 25, 1909. Serial No. 498,157.

T 0 all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. RHOADS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Uhrichsville, in the county of Tuscarawas and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Spring Suspension for Vehicles, 0t which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automobiles, and particularly to means for suspending the body of such a vehicle from the running gear thereof.

The object of the invention is to provide suspension means for the body. of the vehicle of a pneumatic cushionin type, whereby the motions of the body or the vehicle and its running gear will be taken up and absorbed, thus enabling the body to be -yieldingly supported without the use of the ordinary suspension or cushioning springs.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automobile embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is atransverse section on the line 2-42 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of one of the pneumatic suspension devices. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is a vertical section. through one end oi one of the suspension devices, showing the construction thereof. Referring to the drawings,-1 and 2 designate the front and rear axles, 3 and 4 the sets of wheels mounted thereon, and 5 the body of the vehicle, which latter may be of any preferred construction suitable for use in conjunction with my improved suspending means. The body 5 is yieldingly supported from each axle, for which purpose it 18 provided at eachend with a transverse bar 6. Associated with each bar 6 at each end of the vehicle is a pair of neumatic suspension devices mounted respectively upon the front and rear axles with the suspension devices of each pair arranged at opposite sides of the vehicle. Each cushioning device comprises a U-shaped bracket or yoke '7 comprising a bottom bar or bod portion 8 and upright end portions 9. T e bar or body portion 8 is suitably fixed longitudinally of the vehicle to the adjacent axle and provided with a bore or passage 10, while the upright end portions 9 are cored out to provide cushioning chambers 01' cylinders 11, the two chambers or cylinders being in communication through the bore 10 and being each closed by a screw cap or head 12.

Pistons or plun ers 13 are movable in the,

are pivotally connected by a coupling bar 15. The ends of the bar 15 are connected by a'chord brace 16 arranged between the bar and body portion of the bracket, and the intermediate portion of the bar is connected with the center of the brace by a reinforcing arm 17 to ive additional strength. The. ends of the ar 6 at each end of the'body 5 project laterally beyond said body and are bolted or otherwise fastened to the central portions of the chord braces of the adjacent suspension devices, as shown, thus coupling the pistons of the respective suspension devices with the body for vertical movement. therewith. Itwill thus be seen that each end of the body of the vehicle is mounted at each side upon a suspension device embodying a pair of pistons or plungers vertically movable within cylinders upon coacting brackets mounted upon the adjacent axle, so that in the travel of the vehicle the body will be permitted to have 7 vertical motion to take up and absorb the jarring vibrationsfrom the running ear in passin over irregular surfaces. t will be on erstood, of course, that the cylinders degrees of movement in their cylinders to.

compensate for any angular relation to the ,horizontal the body 5 may take, the passages 10 permitting the air to flow from one cyl1nfder to the other of each suspension device .so as to provide for any variations in the movements of the pistons which may occur.

By supporting the vehicle body in the manner described the necessity of employ ing cushioning suspension springs which are liable to break or become otherwise inoperative, is avoided and an equally eificient yielding support for the body obtained. The suspension devices may cushion the body to a sufficient extent to ermit solid tires instead of resilient tires to e employed if desired.

Claims.

1. A cushioning support for motor vehicle bodies com rising a U-shaped casting,

said casting em odying vertical end portions cored to form cylinders and an intermediate base bar connecting the lower ends of said cylinders, said bar being provided with a longitudinal bore forming an equal izing passage communicating with the chambers of the cylinders, pistons operating in said cylinders, a bar pivotally connecting said pistons, and a brace depending from the bar into the space between the pistonsand providing means of attachment to the body supporting part of a' vehicle.

2. A. cushioning support for motor vehicles comprising a pair of upright cylinders, a bar connecting the cylinders at their lower ends, said bar being provided with an equalizing passage communicating with the cylinders, pistons operating in said cylinders, a bar pivotally connecting the pistons exteriorly of the cylinders, and a member depending from said bar into the space between the cylinders and adapted for attachment at a point below the bar to the body supporting part of a vehicle.

3. A cushioning support for motor vehicle bodies comprising a pair .of upright cylinders, a bar joining the lower ends of tie cylinders and provided with an equalizing passage communicating therewith is tons operating in the cylinders, a secon ar pivotally connecting said pistons exteriorly of said cylinders, and a chord brace con necting the ends of said bar and depending into the space between the cylinders, said brace being adapted for connection with the body supporting part of a vehicle.

4. A cushioning support for motor vehicle bodies comprising a pair of upright cylinders, a bar joining the lower ends of said cylinders and provided with an equalizing passage communicating therewith, pistons operating in the cylinders, a second bar pivotally connecting the pistons exteriorly of the cylinders, a chord brace connectin the ends of said bar and depending into t e space between the cylinders, said brace being adapted for connection with the body supporting part of a motor vehicle, and a vertical brace connecting the central portions of the bar and chord brace.

5. The combination with a vehicle body and its axle, of cushioning devices arranged at opposite sides of the body, each of said cushioning devices comprising a pair of u right cylinders, a bar resting on the ax e and connecting the cylinders, said bar havin an equalizing passage communicating with the cylinders, pistons operating in the cylinders, a bar ivotally connecting the pistons e'xteriorly o the cylinders, a brace connecting portions of the bar and depending into the space between the cylinders, and supporting means on the vehicle body connected with the braces of the suspension devices.

In testimony whereof I aifix ID" signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE A. RHOADS.

Witnesses O. U. PATTERSON, 'BLANcHn RHOADS. 

